The T-Mobile Team presents a new organisational structure

• The T-Mobile Team re-structures
• Further responsibilities for Mario Kummer
• Rudy Pevenage returns as sporting director
• Team get-together in Vienna

Bonn, September 20, 2005 - The T-Mobile Team presents a new organisational structure. Team manager Olaf Ludwig will continue to "gear the team organization towards meeting the higher requirements of modern-day pro cycling." The advent of the ProTour series, comprising the three obligatory grand tours, has ramped up the pressure on riders and management, as well as setting new ground rules.

Going forward, Mario Kummer, will have a broader scope of duties. The 43-year-old Olympic gold medallist from 1988, until now team sporting director, will in future act as sport and technical director, charged with developing and deciding team strategy and logistics, together with Ludwig. "Mario has proven over the years how important he is to the team. Now he is ready to assume more responsibility," says Olaf Ludwig about his experienced partner. For Kummer, the role represents a "new challenge".
Jointly taking care of the interests of the entire team, is a "tough but extremely attractive task, that I am greatly looking forward to". In the light of recent developments in international cycling, the need to realign team structures has become crucial. "Being trusted with planning and implementation, is a  complex responsibility, but one which also offers me more scope."

Kummer will, in association with Ludwig, press ahead with the process of restructuring the world class cycling team. "We have already pushed out our boundaries, and now it is not just about defending them, but expanding them," says Ludwig. "Today, we have to have the right structures in place to respond in the most professional way to the challenges of elite pro cycling. In Mario, I have a partner, who has the right qualities and in whom I have 100 percent trust."

The areas of responsibility are now clearly defined: Olaf Ludwig, as director of the Olaf Ludwig Cycling GmbH (OLC), handles team affairs, and along with his representative role, will deal with all contractual matters. Hans Hindelang, a long time associate and former manager of Ludwig, will take care of finances. Mario Kummer will handle logistics and strategy, with the very experienced Greet Verhulst acting as his assistant. Ludwig is sure that in them both, "we will have a very professionally minded leadership team that we can rely on with full confidence for the future."

Rudy Pevenage coaches Tour team

The existing team of sporting directors, Giovanni Fidanza, Brian Holm, Frans van Looy and Valerio Piva, will be strengthened by the addition of Rudy Pevenage. The Belgian, until now exclusively an advisor to Jan Ullrich, will, in association with Ludwig, direct and assume responsibility for the 2006 Tour team's preparations. The roles of the other sporting directors have also been more clearly defined: Valerio Piva will primarily focus on the Spring Classics, where he will be supported by Holm, van Looy and Fidanza. The latter trio will themselves also direct team affairs at various races. Kummer/Ludwig will collaborate closely with the sporting directors on all issues.

The nucleus of the T-Mobile roster for the 2006 Tour de France (July 1 to 23) will be nominated by the end of this year already. "The team will train together, race together and jointly test new equipment," says Ludwig. "On top of that, we will have to put ourselves and our workflows constantly to the test." Only in this way "can we foster the right team spirit and avoid allowing errors to creep in". Rolf Aldag, who retires as an active rider at the end of this season, will play a consulting role.

Classics specialists Andreas Klier, Steffen Wesemann, Matthias Kessler and Sergey Ivanov will also play a more prominent role in the coming season. They will be expected to get the T-Mobile Team off to winning start at the Spring Classics already, and set the tone for the rest of the season.

Jan Ullrich's central role

As captain Jan Ullrich will also take on a more responsible role, as the focus of the Tour team. The former Tour winner will continue to have his say and offer his input into the on-going season planning. For that reason, he has withdrawn from the Züri Metzgete race (October 2). Lately, with such a busy calendar of discussions and meetings, Ullrich hasn't been able to dedicate himself fully to preparing for what was to be the final race in his season programme. On top of that, "it is important, to properly re-generate, in order to fully set about realising the new goals," says Ullrich.
 
In November of this year, the whole team will gather for a team-building session in the Austrian Alps, rather than a traditional team get-together. Additionally, the riders, support staff and management will meet in the Austrian capital Vienna. Following private training trips, the riders will regroup for the team training camp at the Club Robinson in Mallorca (January).

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.